Day 4 10th Dec Wed
Light Rain
Since we stay near the Pantheon, the idea is to visit places that are
most accessible on foot and then branch out of Rome gradually. My plan is to cluster our places to visit so
as to minimize transport costs.
Today we set off for the Colosseum , Rman Forum and Palatine Hill, a
short walk behind the apartment. It was an unhurried start since the rain from
the previous night has refused to stop. Between the 3 of us, we used an
umbrella that broke 15 minutes into the walk because of the vicious wind.
From Torre Largo Argentina, we headed towards the Colosseum area and
paid a combined entrance fee of €12 to visit the 3 sites, located next to each
other. I enjoyed the colossal Colosseum the most because of the sad stories and
sacrifices slaves, gladiators and
Christians faced there. In fact, the
Pope holds mass every Good Friday in the Colosseum – that speaks volume to its
significance as a place of martyrdom.
Next we proceeded to the Palatine Hill and archeological sites within
the premises. We passed gladiators wanting to pose with tourists with a fee and
freelance guides. Our skin color made it easier for the first time as tourist
in refusing unwanted services. Hope was tickled pink skirting around them.
Light rain came on and off like a sprinkler in the most annoying
fashion. By 1 pm, the lack of lunch and endless cobbles in the Roman Forum caused my entire body to scream out and
the 2 shutterbugs left me to nurse my injuries on the torso of an unknown
soldier while they snapped away merrily. We bade ancient Rome goodbye and made
our way back towards the Pantheon.
Lunch at a bar across Chiesa de
Gesu was pretty good with the usual Roman fare of pasta and red wine. Sated ,
we went over the church to admire the biggest chunk of lapis lazuli used as a
tomb stone over the body of St Ignatius. Actually the light condition in the
chiesa was so poor I could not note the lazuli’s color. The arm of St Francis Xavier encased in a
glass urn drew murmurs from all of us. Chiesa de Gesu is indeed opulent and
redolent with splendid splashing of ornaments.
Before retiring, we spent some time in the Pantheon for the first time,
after dark. We gawked at Raphael’s tomb, whom nature refused to be outdone. The
dark sky gaped from the oculus, interrupted by soaring sea gulls. It was like
white kites in the night and makes the interior of the Pantheon stretch beyond
its brick walls. Hadrian had implemented the first unsupported structural dome
in ancient Rome and is really a genius to lighten the load by using an oculus.
